Dimension Films has obtained the North American distribution right to CASTLEVANIA, a thriller based on the Konami videogame franchise, reports VARIETY. Paul W.S. Anderson will adapt and direct. Just last week, production house Crystal Sky Pictures purchased the film rights to the franchise.
In this months Digital Eye column, Sony Pictures Imageworks Jenny Fulle describes how globalization is enriching the VFX experience that filmmakers bring to their work here and abroad.
Ridley Scotts majestic KINGDOM OF HEAVEN arrives on DVD Oct. 11, 2005 (Fox Home Ent., $29.98) with a DVD first: an interactive production grid allowing viewers to tailor the perspective and time-frame of the various making-of materials. This provides 16 permutations of the behind-the-scenes production info for this adventure about the 12th century Crusades. VFX provided by MPC, Double Negative, Framestore CFC and Clear, among others.
Other bonus features include:
In this months Mind Your Business, Mark Simon explains the rules and strategies of playing the sport of negotiating.
Columbia Pictures has tapped INDEPENDENCE DAY director Roland Emmerich to direct 10,000 B.C., a prehistoric epic that depicts tribal life at the dawn of modern man, according to the trades. This film is the first under Emmerich's production deal with Columbia, which he signed in April.
John Orloff (HBO's BAND OF BROTHERS) is writing a new draft of the script, which is based on an idea that Emmerich forged a decade ago. Emmerich and Harald Kloser wrote the original screenplay.
Bill Damaschke has been promoted to head of creative production and development at DreamWorks Animation while Kristine Belson comes on board as the head of development.
Alan Gregg has been upped to vp, production and distribution, children's television, at Alliance Atlantis Communications to fill the void by Ken Faiers departure to Nerd Corps Ent. Based in Alliance Atlantis head office in Toronto, Gregg is responsible for developing and implementing the overall strategy for the companys childrens properties, including all aspects of production and distribution.
European private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital has signed a merger deal with Marathon, which will create a major new production and distribution group in France, reports C21 and was confirmed by Bridgepoint Capital (which also owns production giant All3Media).
Bridgepoint's French division, Financière Héra (Finhera), has been pursuing Marathon. Finhera is lead by Eric Licoy, previously a top executive at Vivendi Universal when Jean-Marie Messier was ceo.
Pre-production has begun on the animated action/adventure feature, GENE-FUSION, it was announced today, Sept. 15, 2005, by producers Banjax Studios, pop 6, and Beckett Entertainment Inc. announced today. The film for TV/DVD and theatrical release in selected territories will be delivered in late 2006 with a 26x30 series to following 2007.
Animation channel TELETOON has struck seven new development agreements with Canadian producers for a diverse slate of titles that reflect the network's core programming blocks, including its kids and after-school lineup, as well as its successful Teen/Young Adult option, The Detour on TELETOON.
Bill Murray is in talks to reprise his role as the voice of the fat, orange cat for 20th Century Fox's GARFIELD 2, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The original films live-action stars Breckin Meyer and Jennifer Love Hewitt have already signed on to return. However, Hewitt's role will be small due to her commitment to the forthcoming CBS series GHOST WHISPERER. Lucy Davis (U.K. version of THE OFFICE) and Billy Connolly (MRS. BROWN) have been added to the cast.
Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios has gained two new additions to its staff including director Mark Dippé and Lisa White, who is the new head of production, commercial digital.
Dippé joined George Lucas Industrial Light & Magic in 1988 and was a major part of the digital filmmaking group there. His work in photorealistic computer generated characters includes THE ABYSS, the liquid metal T-1000 in TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY. He also had a principal role in creating the first living digital creatures in JURASSIC PARK.
IDT Ent. has announced two key executive appointments. Neil S. Braun, currently president/coo of Vanguard Animation and former president of the NBC Television Network, chairman/ceo of Viacom Ent. and president/coo of Imagine Films Ent., has been named president of feature films and television. Veteran animation producer and creative affairs exec Jerry Davis, whose credits include ROBOTS, ICE AGE, IRON GIANT and TOY STORY, has been named cco, animated features.
Veteran production exec Jon Gordon has been named president of production, Universal Pictures, joining recently named president of production Donna Langley. The two execs will work in tandem, overseeing the development and production of the studios motion pictures. Langley and Gordon will both report directly to Stacey Snider, chairman Universal Pictures. Gordon, who is currently co-president of production at Miramax Films, will start with Universal in October.
Nick Foster was formerly head of Global FX at DreamWorks Animation, will take over as cto at IDT Ent., effective Aug. 15, 2005, with responsibility for unifying the technology and staff of the FX departments at the Los Angeles and Bay Area production studios. Robert Taylor has joined IDT Ent. as vp, animation finance, to oversee all production finance matters related to the animated slate.
Two U.K. animation companies are partnering for the first time to produce HARRY AND HIS BUCKET FULL OF DINOSAURS, a 52-episode preschool animation series based on the best-selling books by Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds.
Collingwood OHare Entertainment and Silver Fox Films are joining forces for the production, along with Canadian production and distribution company CCI Entertainment. Directors are Collingwood OHares Tony Collingwood and Silver Foxs Graham Ralph.
DreamWorks Pictures has extended head of production Adam Goodmans contract term for an additional four years through 2009.
"Adam Goodman has been an integral part of our production team since the inception of the studio and, over the past year and a half, he has more than proven his capability to lead that team, said DreamWorks principal David Geffen. We are very happy that he plans to continue to spearhead our live-action slate."
NewTek (SIGGRAPH 2005 booth #1529) has released a free upgrade to its VT [4] integrated production suite. VT [4] version 4.5, which can be downloaded at www.newtek.com, includes new features, production-ready content and maintenance and workflow improvements. Among the many enhancements are technologies for projector output with scaling and software scan converting, which allow input users to capture screen data from remote computers. The product is optimized for a range of Intel processors for better performance.
The Every Picture Tells A Story gallery in Santa Monica will host an exhibition of original Ray Harryhausen production drawings on July 30. In addition, Ray Harryhausen limited edition prints and portfolio, reproduced from Ray's original production drawings will be introduced. They are all signed and numbered and the portfolio comes with an original Harryhausen drawing. There is information and pictures on our website here: http://www.everypicture.com/artists/250/1/ray-harryhausen.html
TV-Loonland is filling out its ranks, appointing Olivier Dumont as its new coo and Kourtney Kaye head of creative affairs and development.
Dumont, to be based in Paris and London, will define the strategy for the development, production and distribution of programming targeted at kids and families. He will report directly to the TV-Loonland ceo/chariman Selma Käppel and, with her, will also run the business development strategy for TV-Loonland.
New firm Mind The Gap Inc. has been contracted by Laika Ent. to develop an asset and production tracking system. With an in-depth understanding of Laika Ent.'s production and technical needs, Mind The Gap is supporting the company's animated feature film initiatives by strengthening it's workflow with integrated systems to track production resources, assets, rendering, and disk space.
Jenny Fulle, evp of production and executive producer for Sony Pictures Imageworks, takes on the Digital Eye column this month, focusing her look at picking the right technique.
Renny Harlin is set to helm an adaptation of the graphic novel THE COVENANT, by CROSSING JORDAN writer Aron Coleite and artist Tone Rodriguez, reports PRODUCTION WEEKLY.
Adapted by J.S. Cardone, the story follows a group of four families whose patriarchs have great powers that have been passed down from father to son for generations. During that summer of fun and experimentation, the four boys next in line unknowingly release an evil into the world, which the Covenant must stop.
In this last excerpt from Inspired 3D Short Film Production, Jeremy Cantor and Pepe Valencia discuss how to safeguard your digital files and create backup plans.
Nominations for the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on July 14, 2005 and FOX and Cartoon Network won the most primetime Emmy nominations for animated shows with four each, but SCI FI Network had six noms in the visual effects arena. FAMILY GUY edges into the primetime Emmy race along with SOUTH PARK, THE SIMPSONS, SAMURAI JACK and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, which are nominated for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour).
